Effective Micro-Organisms®, also known as EM Technology® is a trademarked term now commonly used to describe a proprietary blend of different types of predominantly anaerobic organisms. These Micro-organisms co-exist and have beneficial effects in some environments. Typically EM® includes:                Lactic acid bacteria        Photosynthetic bacteria        Actinomycetes        Yeast        Fermenting fungi        
EM® technology was developed in the early 1980's by Dr. Teruo Higa, a professor at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, as an alternative to conventional agricultural chemicals. EM® have been marketed since 1983 in Japan. When in contact with organic matter, Effective Micro-Organisms® secrete a number of beneficial substances including vitamins, organic acids, chelated minerals and antioxidants.
Effective Micro-Organisms® has been used in a wide variety of applications, including recycling, and in agriculture and horticulture. It is able to turn food and other kitchen waste into valuable organic material and increases productivity and reduces disease in agriculture and horticulture. It can also provide a solution to certain environmental problems, such as water, air and soil pollution.
EM® works in a number of different ways, firstly by the competitive exclusion of other, harmful Micro-organisms, through the promotion of rapid decomposition of organic matter, accelerating the rupture of compounds such as proteins, sugars, fats and fibres, and in the production of beneficial by-products, such as enzymes, organic acids, amino acids, hormones and antioxidants that promote the health of the environment. EM® comprises facultative anaerobic organisms, meaning that the microbes in question make Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by respiration in the presence of oxygen, but is also capable of fermentation in anaerobic conditions. In contrast, obligate anaerobes die in the presence of oxygen. This facultative quality of EM® allows it to extend its benefits to aerobic and anaerobic environments.
It is known to use Effective Micro-Organism® as a highly efficient cleaning product. It can be used for the same tasks as a conventional detergents. It has the advantages of being harmless, or even beneficial to health, does not foam up like traditional detergents, meaning that rinsing is often unnecessary, and the microbes in EM® stop mould, fungus and harmful bacteria from growing.
EM® is typically available in concentrated form, such as EM-1® solution. The concentrate form of EM-1® is useful for adding to water for washing vegetables, pouring down sink drains to reduce odours and may also be used in appliances such as washing machines. For general purpose cleaning, however, it needs to be in dilute form.
Typically, EM® is activated from an EM® “mother culture”. Typically around 40 ml of EM® is placed in a liter of de-chlorinated water, with 40 ml of molasses. It is typically recommended to use tap water which has been left to sit for 24 hours to allow evaporation of chlorine.
The activation process then involves the heating of the mixture, for example at a temperature typically of 35° C. to 43° C. for at least two weeks. It is possible to use lower temperatures, if longer heating is applied.
Apart from the inconvenience of the process, there are a number of other problems with the resultant cleaning solution. Firstly, once activated, it has a very short “shelf” life. Whereas pre-activation EM® mother culture may last up to 2 years, the activated product often only lasts one to two months. A second problem lies in the texture of the resulting solution, which tends to be rough and abrasive to use and which results in difficulties when cleaning surfaces.
While it is known to combine Effective Micro-Organisms® with detergents, as for example disclosed in US 2007/0190625, it is the prevailing view that Effective Micro-Organisms® is a living culture and that the addition of other chemicals will have a detrimental effect on the culture.
Since EM® is a highly effective and environmentally friendly cleaning agent, it would be useful to overcome these problems and find an EM® based cleaning fluid which is ready diluted, with long shelf life and a texture suitable for easy cleaning.